Chapter 5: Mirror Flowers

“Jiang Jian, don’t be too heartbroken.”

Zhou Chi helped Jiang Jian onto the security vehicle, his face filled with sympathy. “Take my car—I’ll take you back to Guangling No. 1 High!”

The armored door slammed shut, leaving no one around.

“Thank you for your concern, Senior. I’m feeling much better.”

Jiang Jian settled into his seat under Zhou Chi’s support and asked, “By the way, Senior, what happened to that man in the suit?”

Zhou Chi sat beside Jiang Jian, smiling.

He activated his identity device and pointed to the man’s photo.

“Captain Wang led the arrest personally—the suspect has been executed.”

Jiang Jian nodded. “Now that the real culprit is caught, I’m at ease.”

The case was just withdrawn—evidence tied to the Zhao family was erased.

This case must be reported to Anhezhou and a resolution demanded.

Zhou Chi’s tone turned serious. “This man hired assassins—his crimes are heinous, and he will face proper punishment!”

He leaned close to Jiang Jian, lowering his voice. “But the order to hire killers? That was entirely his own idea.”

The Zhao family runs a massive array business—even if they had the heart of a bear and the courage of a leopard, they’d never dare openly break the law.

As he spoke,

the security vehicle received its directive and left Shenzhao District.

It sped through the clouds, descending toward Guangling No. 1 High below.

“Jiang Jian, add me as a contact.”

Zhou Chi raised his wrist. “If anything comes up, just message me directly.”

“Thank you, Senior.”

Jiang Jian swiped his identity device—there was a soft beep.

The contact list flickered, and “Inspector Zhou Chi” appeared instantly.

Guangling No. 1 High sat beneath Shenzhao District, at the edge of the Shadow Zone.

The security vehicle moved at high speed.

After just a few minutes, the school’s teaching building was visible through the window.

“Two years ago, I took the Divine Gift Exam and received the talent ‘Yi’—Level 2 ‘Observant to the Minute’—earning 36 Divine Gift points.”

Zhou Chi gazed at his alma mater and suddenly spoke. “Though my theoretical scores were poor, I still used this Divine Gift to enter the Inspectorate.”

Jiang Jian hugged the black cloth bundle, staring out the window, his gaze trembling faintly.

Level 2 Divine Gifts were rare and precious.

Each year, over thirty thousand eligible candidates took the Divine Gift Exam in both Guangling districts.

Only dozens or a hundred or so achieved Level 2 talents.

The remaining tens of thousands all had various Level 1 Divine Gifts.

Divine Gift points had a maximum of 50.

The municipal examination board scored them on the spot based on type and quality.

Level 1 talents scored between 0 and 30 Divine Gift points.

Level 2 talents scored between 31 and 49 Divine Gift points.

Level 3 talents, regardless of type, always received the full 50 points.

Zhou Chi’s “Observant to the Minute” belonged to the uncommon “Yi” category.

Earning 36 points was already one in ten thousand.

“Senior’s Divine Gift talent is truly impressive.”

Jiang Jian said softly.

The security vehicle stopped.

Zhou Chi stood up, gripping the armored door handle, turning to face Jiang Jian.

“But your thoughts, Junior, are as deep as an abyss—I can’t fathom them.”

Zhou Chi’s tone was strange, as if implying something deeper.

Jiang Jian looked up and met his gaze.

Both smiled.

The heavy armored door slid open.

Blinding white light stabbed in.

Zhou Chi spat. “The bulbs in the Shadow Zone are still just as harsh.”

Jiang Jian jumped out of the vehicle. “Senior, you’ve been in Shenzhao too long—you’re not used to the Shadow Zone’s light rings.”

Zhou Chi leaned on the door, squinting. “The Divine Gift Exam is near. I wish you success, Jiang Jian. May you top the list.”

“I’ll take your good wishes, Senior.”

Jiang Jian walked to the school gate and checked his identity device.

It was already 1 a.m.

“School rules forbid entry or exit after 10 p.m.”

An armed guard blocked his path, expression stern. “For student safety, nighttime entry or exit is prohibited.”

Jiang Jian had expected this. “Wait a moment.”

He pulled out his identity device, swiped twice, and initiated a call.

Two seconds later,

the device beeped.

“Student Jiang Jian, what is it?”

A cheerful voice came through.

Jiang Jian replied, “Teacher Zhou, I just returned from Chencang County—the school’s locked.”

Hearing the voice, the armed guard’s expression changed. He asked, “Is this Teacher Zhou Yu?”

The device’s voice replied, “Yes, let Student Jiang Jian in.”

“Understood, Teacher Zhou Yu.”

The guard hurriedly pulled out his key, pressed his fingerprint, and unlocked the gate.

Zhou Yu, Guangling City’s top teacher and the pride of Guangling No. 1 High.

Schools in Shenzhao District had offered him huge sums to join them.

Yet Zhou Yu never wavered—he stayed at Guangling No. 1 High, earning deep respect.

“Teacher Zhou, sorry to bother you so late.”

Jiang Jian walked along the tree-lined path, leaves rustling softly.

Zhou Yu’s voice came through, gentle. “Student Jiang Jian, I’m glad you returned to school so quickly.”

“The Divine Gift Exam is near—every minute counts. Don’t waste time.”

The call ended.

Jiang Jian reached the dormitory building and swiped his identity device.

“Verification successful.”

The mechanical voice announced.

The door opened. Jiang Jian stepped into the elevator and pressed a button.

The next second, the doors sealed shut.

The world fell silent.

As if he were utterly alone.

Jiang Jian’s gaze passed through the glass, catching his own reflection.

The reflection in the mirror stared back—then twisted into a grotesque grin.

Jiang Jian’s face remained expressionless. “I’m not placing an order.”

The reflection clung to the elevator door, sounding disappointed. “Your pre-exam break is too long—fifteen days! I lose so many Alliance coins.”

Non-citizen, Mirror Spirit.

These creatures existed only in the Shadow Zone, in scarce numbers.

After capture, they were deployed in various roles.

Within a few hundred meters, their speed was extraordinary.

One moment they retrieve an item, the next they deliver it to your room.

They charge 1 Alliance coin per 100 deliveries, paid by Guangling No. 1 High.

The elevator doors opened.

Jiang Jian walked toward his dorm.

The Mirror Spirit’s voice came through, different from usual: “Actually, I envy you—you were born as Earth citizens.”

Its tone grew low. “I, a demon spirit, though born under divine grace,

have no freedom whatsoever.”

“To gain Earth citizenship requires a price so astronomical it’s hopeless.”

It shook its identity device. “The cost of freedom is simply too high.”

Upon hearing this.

Jiang Jian stopped walking and sneered, “You’ve been lucky enough—technically, you’re a nonofficial citizen with basic Earth human rights.”

He turned around and looked at the twisted Mirror Spirit: “Countless ghosts are slain the moment they’re born—where do they go to seek justice?”

The Mirror Spirit blinked, then said, “Compared to them, I truly have no reason to fear for my survival.”

Jiang Jian raised his hand and traced it across the dorm door, saying, “You don’t need to wallow in self-pity—in some ways, you’re no different from Earth citizens.”

A mechanical voice echoed: “Verification successful.”

Jiang Jian stepped into the dorm and shut the door behind him; soft light glowed to life.

Smoke curled from the mirror on the desk; the Mirror Spirit poked its head out, puzzled: “What do you mean by that?”

Jiang Jian smirked slightly and said, “Above the Shadow Zone lies the Divine Illumination Zone.”

“Above Guangling City lies Anhezhou, and beyond that, Linjiang Prefecture.”

“To us, Linjiang Prefecture is already vast enough.”

“Yet it’s still just a backwater corner of Earth.”

Jiang Jian sat down, gazing at the swirling smoke in the mirror: “Of the 130 prefectures across the Earth-Moon Four Realms, billions of lives drift aimlessly.”

“All are ants.”

“What’s the difference?”

Upon hearing this.

The Mirror Spirit fell silent, stunned.

Jiang Jian opened his backpack and began organizing his textbooks himself.

The top two books were his sister’s “Overview of the Divine” and “Brief Analysis of Stars.”

The Mirror Spirit suddenly asked: “If what you say is true, then what makes one not an ant?”

Jiang Jian paused his movements.

He tilted his head slightly, gazing at the Mirror Spirit.

It seemed he had given the answer.

Or perhaps he had said nothing at all.

Silence stretched for a long while.

The Mirror Spirit suddenly seemed to realize something, trembling all over.

It dared not utter another word.

The smoke churned wildly, frantically burrowing back into the mirror, falling utterly still.

(End of Chapter)